“Keep Mattie company and take the weight off your own feet too,” said Angie.
Mattie watched Angie return to the house. “She reminds me of my mum.”
“Why’s that?” asked Nell.
“Caring is her love language, just like my mum’s was.” A wistful look crossed Mattie’s face. “I miss her very much.”
Nell presumed she’d died. “When did you lose her?”
“Four years ago.”
“I’m sorry.”
Mattie swished her feet in the bowl. Water splashed up and over the sides. “This reminds me of bath time. Mum let me and my brother play. I pretended to be a submarine. I made a huge mess, but Mum always saw the funny side.”
“Baths were for cleaning oneself, not playing, when I was a kid. And one certainly didn’t make a mess,” said Nell. What was she doing sharing anything remotely private about herself with Mattie? Thankfully, the conversation was interrupted by Angie, who came back out carrying a tray with a large bowl of salad, crockery, and cutlery.
“Here we are, ladies.” Angie unloaded the contents of the tray onto the patio table. “Mattie, even a small amount of food will help. I just checked on Google.”
Mattie managed a wan grin. “Doctors hate patients reading Google.”
Angie laughed. “I’m not surprised. With your current symptoms you could be suffering rabies, or toxic poisoning, or god knows what else.”
“I don’t remember seeing any rabid dogs but who knows.” Mattie shrugged. “I do remember fantasising about eating anchovies, which is weird because I hate anchovies.”
Angie spooned salad onto her plate. “I craved pickles when I was pregnant with Rosie. Day and night.”
Mattie snorted. “There’s no danger of me being pregnant, I can assure you.”
Nell laughed along with Angie, at the same time suppressing the unbidden mental image of Mattie’s body in that condition. Mattie’s stature was more slimline angles than curves but Nell imagined fuller breasts and a rounded belly.Enough. She was supposed to be checking up on Mattie’s well-being after amedical event, not checking her out. Nell shoved a forkful of hard-boiled egg and lettuce into her mouth and forced herself to focus on each individual chew.
An awkward silence fell until Angie pointed to a bird feeder hanging in the shade of the tree next to them. “The wrens are busy singing this evening.”
Nell listened to the birds’ trills. “They’re cute, except for when they’re pecking at the berries on my blackcurrant bushes.” She noticed Mattie pushing her food around the plate rather than eating it. Maybe she really ought to get checked out medically.
Mattie’s fork clattered on the plate. “Stop staring at me like that, Nell. I’m not about to die on you.”
“I should hope not.” Nell winced at the bite in her tone. “I mean,” she said, more softly, “think of all the paperwork.” Okay, now she was officially talking nonsense. She would shut up and give Mattie space to recover sufficiently that Nell would be happy to leave her alone. Angie kept a light conversation going, talking about walks and tourist attractions in the area.
Eventually, Mattie pushed her half-full plate away. “Thanks for the food, Angie, but I desperately need to sleep. I’m feeling better.”
Was she just saying that to avoid a trip to the hospital? Perhaps she wasn’t looking quite so flushed, and she certainly didn’t sound drunk when she talked now. Nell was loath to touch her again but needs must. “Can I feel the back of your neck to check your temperature again?”
With a half-hearted eye-roll, Mattie acquiesced.
“You don’t feel so hot, and you’re not feverish,” said Nell.
“See, no hospital needed,” said Mattie. “But I’m incredibly grateful to both of you.”
Angie smiled. “You’re welcome. But please promise me that you’ll ask us for help if you need it. Any time, day or night.”
“I promise.” Mattie lifted her feet out of the bowl of water and laughed. “My feet are so wrinkly!”
Nell handed her a towel. Wrinkled or not, she would’ve happily cradled Mattie’s feet in her lap and dried them for her. How disconcerting. She watched Mattie go inside, followed by Angie who insisted on taking Mattie’s bag and a jug of water for her. Mattie was putting on a brave face, Nell was sure of it. What was it about today that had caused such a strong reaction? Something must’ve triggered it.
Later, after Angie had refused help with clearing up, Nell went home, switched on her laptop, and searched forJournalist Matilda Elliott.That was all it took to bring up loads of links. Most of them had to do with a bombing in Kenya. Some were short clips and soundbites, others were lengthy, written news reports. Salient facts were what she wanted. She clicked on theWorldwide News’website.
Two journalists suffering with serious burns after a dramatic live-on-air rescue from a bombed hotel have been airlifted to hospital in Kenya. Millions of viewers watched the horrific drama unfold as Matilda Elliott of Worldwide News ignored her own injuries and dragged cameraman Jon Rexford to safety from under burning debris.
